


Against The Grain

by Rosaroma



Category: The Big Bang Theory (TV)
Genre: F/M, Humour, Shenny - Freeform, compassion - Freeform, migraines
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-04
Updated: 2017-10-27
Packaged: 2018-02-28 04:37:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2719007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosaroma/pseuds/Rosaroma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sheldon is perceptive and seeing as Penny is downplaying a migraine he will have none of it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Evening Evaporation

**Author's Note:**

> White Asparagus Triangulation. I own nothing but my migraine.

'We were young and very much in love,' mock emotionally she turns to him.  
'But we could only communicate through a time-traveling mailbox at my lake house.' Penny finishes noting the realisation in his expression with an evil smirk.

'It's not enough that you made me watch that film, now you mock me with it?' he asks glaring. Penny stifles the urge to laugh as her head is aching but grins serenely. Pissing Sheldon off is sincerely one of her greatest hobbies, but damn if her head wasn't trying to end her.

'Sheldon, sweetie. If they want to be together, you're not going to change it. At least, not for the better.' His eye twitches. She knows he wants to be better than her in every field, but relationships are not, his field. There not really her field either, at least not in a long term sense. But she would like to think she knows a heck lot more than him.

'I resent that you assume my meddling, will only draw negative ends to any relationship they may be experiencing,' he says closing the laptop. The truth is Penny's not sure what his meddling might conclude in, but it wouldn't be a success.

Sheldon glances at her coffee table, he's processing the possibility she's been robbed, shoulders tensing up.  
'Penny, might I suggest tidy-'  
She rolls her eyes at what he wants to say and then regrets it. 'No,' she says trying to rub the pain away, but making it worse.

Walking over to Penny and edging back and forth to find somewhere to place his laptop Sheldon settles on a pile of shirts on the kitchen top.

'Penny, are you feeling alright?' he asks having noted her amplified impatience.

Her eyes are sleepy and her face is flushed as she nods but winces, 'Migraine.'

'Oh.'

Penny can see the cogs turn in Sheldon's head as he looks at her with concern. 'Might I suggest a deep massage, ice wrap or other homeopathic remedy. Although if you happen to possess a drink rich in vitamin C, this is theorised to help…' Penny raises her hand to halt the onslaught.

'Sheldon, stop talking.' He purses his lips but leans back and forth as though he wanted to say more.  
'Sorry,' he mouths inducing the need to roll her eyes again, except that it would hurt too much. He looks at the freezer and then to the sofa, his eyes darting back again. Figuring resignation is the escape Penny resists the urge to nod but lies down. He's some kind of genius to be sure, but how does he do as doctor?

Before she can reach for the blanket he lifts it and covers her. Fairly speechless Penny sinks into the sofa and lets him tuck it under her feet. Probable factors are that he thinks her incapable of laying it down straight.  
Not wanting to think much further because of the nerves it was killing, she lets her head rest in the cushions. 'Thank you, Sheldon.'

Sheldon nods standing, he's glad she at least possesses a soft blanket. The fabric seems adequate to keep her warm. Turning back towards the freezer he opens the drawers, systematically searching for ice. Finding small ice umbrellas, (rather negating the cube aspect of the name,) he pours them onto a clean towel.

Thinking of the symptoms of migraines Sheldon realises the lights are too high, and goes to dim them. How typical of Penny to become sick, no doubt drinking too much and not sleeping enough. Though perhaps her hours have been a little excessive at the cheesecake factory recently. Finding a satisfactory level for the lights, he realises Penny has fallen asleep.

Standing awkwardly in her apartment holding the towel of ice he considers what the protocol is. Sheldon had never reached the social occasion of a woman falling asleep with him in her apartment.

Feeling tensely out of place he puts the ice pack on the table. Finding a scrap of paper he scribbles down his apologies for leaving her while she is feeling sick. And as an afterthought adds his work number for any further assistance.

Slipping his laptop off the counter Sheldon edges around the piles of debris and opens her door. Coming face to face with Leonard he steels his expression from any eye rolling, a gesture he is sure he has acquired from observing Penny's behaviour.

'Sheldon?' Leonard says looking from his tall roommate, to Penny's darkened apartment and then to the ceiling as though trying to solve complicated math. Rubbing his head he steps back to let Sheldon close the door.  
'Leonard?' he says in the same tone, walking past him towards their apartment.

'What, why, Penny?' Leonard squeaks.  
Sheldon looks back at his word challenged friend and takes minute pity on him. 'Penny is sleeping. She has a migraine.'

Leonard nods his head and looks as though he may go to comfort her. Sheldon holds back comments on his pathetic nature and walks past Howard and Raj. Going into his room he clenches his fists at the thought of Leonard annoying Penny whilst she's ill, why does he always feel the need to interfere? Straightening various paraphernalia Sheldon pushes the thoughts to the back of his mind and concentrates on inanimate things.

Although he reasons (as this doesn't rid her from his mind,) worrying over a dear friend is not uncommon. If anything it is one of the symptoms of friendship Penny mentioned, to care if the other is being harassed. Sheldon isn't as socially adept as his friends, but he notices things they thought he wouldn't. Leonard's behaviour is one of those things.

Waking up a few hours later in the darkness Penny can hear ripping wind outside the window. She fumbles for the lamp switch. Sheldon must have turned the lights off. Squinting at the table she notes a dripping towel. Her head is scorching hot. Padding to the window she pulls it open and flops back onto the sofa. Hoping the scrap of paper explains the pooling damp she holds it into the light over head.

In Sheldon's own way he'd managed to offer his help, apologise and evaporate all in one note. Letting it float back onto the table she lay her head back down.  
Hearing the shuffle of feet in the hall she hopes it's not Leonard's daily visit. She wishes he didn't feel the need to ingratiate himself daily, even after they had broken up.

But then there is a soft tap tap tap 'Penny,' whispered through the door. She wonders when he'd decided to become so considerate? She recalls him dressed as the flash trying to positively break her door down and give her a heart attack.


	2. Deferential Doctor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously: But then there is a soft tap tap tap 'Penny,' whispered through the door. She wonders when he'd decided to become so considerate? She recalls him dressed as the flash trying to positively break her door down and give her a heart attack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A two week migraine returns me to you.

What greeted Sheldon from the other side of the door was a shaky, unstable version of his small feminine friend. Her pale face looked up at him, unreadable in the dark.

'Penny, you don't look your usual bright self,' he said in an almost stage whisper.

'That's because I'm not, Sheldon,' she whispered back shaking her head sarcastically and then regretting it. 'Are you coming in?' she asked opening the door a bit further but not wanting to let the light from the hall in. He blocked most of it where he stood.

He nodded waving a package she assumed contained food. Whenever Sheldon wanted something he brought food. 'You're through the enemy gate, now what's up Sheldon?'

He turned on her perplexed, 'We're not enemies Penny.'

Again Penny was taken aback by something small he had done. With her cheeks glowing in the dark she just nodded minutely and pulled her dressing gown tighter around her. Sheldon noticed the open window, giving only a cursory notice to Pennys squeak he sealed it shut again, preventing the appaling amount of cold air that was attacking his friend moments before.

Clicking the door shut as quietly as she could they sat on the sofa and she pulled her feet up.

'I brought you something,' he produced a sealed pair of earplugs and a large pair of aviators from the package. Penny's eyes swivelled questioningly. 'You own aviators?' she asked incredulous.

'Of course. Should such a moment arise I am prepared for fifty seven different costume variations,' he finished matter of fact. Penny imagined several of these variations as he placed the ear plugs on her table but, came back to herself as he slipped the glasses onto her face. Sheldon was entirely unconscious of his fingers brushing her cheeks as he carefully slipped them under her hair. 'I think reduced light levels would be the best thing for you, and rest,' Sheldon said.  
Penny brushed hair behind her ear feeling where his fingers had just drawn a line.

His Man-Bot tshirt hugged over his broad shoulders. But then the silence broke.

'Now, while you're lying here doing nothing, you should sing me soft kitty,' he said tucking his legs up in turn. He looked like a big soft praying mantis perched expectantly on the edge of her sofa like that.

'Sheldon, why would I want to sing you soft kitty? I'm the one who's sick.'

He turned to her cocking his head to one side, 'Bazinga.'

Her eyebrow arched at his joke but a smirk pulled at her mouth. The expression on his face said that should have been obvious. Sincerely she was just glad he wasn't going to make her sing it right now.

A pathetic scream shot up outside her apartment. There was a clatter and then something small ran into the door. The thud slid to the floor and she thought of going to look.

'What did you do to Howard?' she turned to Sheldon knowingly. He avoided eye contact and looked instead at his slippers.

Penny didn't expect him to be forthcoming. 'You know what, if it keeps him out of my apartment tonight I don't care.'

Sheldons eyes slid across to the girl slouching lower into her corner of the sofa. All peculiar perceived beauty and blonde curls. Her face was awfully pale even in the dark, but until she felt better it would remain that way.

Turning resolutely toward Penny he reached his hand out towards her face. Penny didn't notice for a moment but once his nearing form registered she froze. 'Sheldon?' He doesn't seem to hear her as he was concentrating.

Placing his gigantic hand over her forehead, Penny stared at his focused eyes. The blue of them is hovering on her face but she's sure he's just calculating temperature.

Seeing him this close of his own volition makes her heart speed up, and her head starts pounding again. Groaning she squints her eyes and Sheldon snaps out of it. His eyes blink to hers and he thinks to remove his palm from her face.

'Apologies, I wanted to ascertain your current temperature.' He tucks his hand under his arm.  
'It seems perfectly adequate,' his cheeks turn slightly red.

'Whackadoodle,' she says placing her hand on his sleeve. The tendons on his arm flex under her grasp but he smirks awkwardly until she moves away. Sheldons heart thrums in his chest, the sensation of Penny so near is not dissimilar to heartburn and yet he isn't completely adverse to the concept of her there. Sighing inwardly he remembers that Howard is slumped against Pennys door.

'I should alert Bernadette to Howard's location so she may retrieve him.' Sheldon made to stand and Penny stood too, wobbling towards him. Sheldon steadied her with his hand on her back. His breath caught, in the way it would when Penny looks up at him, all trust and long term friendship disagreement.

She is as ever the perplexing pain to his days, the challenge and definition of chaos theory. Something he didn't want to lose as his. Not only would his mind lose out but he suspected his emotions would complain in kind. She had counterbalanced something within him, and he felt he might fall over if she left. As irrational as it all was.

Penny sleepily registered that Sheldons hand hadn't moved from her back. The aching in her temple was subsiding, though perhaps she'd stood a moment too soon. 'Thanks Sweetie,' she said tiptoeing to kiss his cheek.

Sheldon turned his head in time to catch the lips that came towards him. His face filled red from top to bottom and he shivered at the peculiarity of what he'd made happen. A disruption in the sequence of things, their routine now off kilter.

Slipping his hand off her back Sheldon backed away as though she might hit him. Flashbacks of pre eleven o' clock wake up calls ran through his mind. Eyebrows climb up his face and he mutters something before hastily opening Penny's door and standing on Howard. Yanking the body of his friend away from the door, Sheldon flung it shut before Penny could respond.


	3. Little Larceny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously: Slipping his hand off her back Sheldon backed away as though she might hit him. Flashbacks of pre eleven o' clock wake up calls ran through his mind. Eyebrows climb up his face and he mutters something before hastily opening Penny's door and standing on Howard. Yanking the body of his friend away from the door, Sheldon flung it shut before Penny could respond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except my migraines and those I would like to return.

Knock knock, Sheldon looked at the wall beside the front door. Knock knock, it came again. Broken from his thoughts he stood up. Opening the door Sheldon stood behind the contraption he'd built and spotted Leonard at the top of the stairs.

Leonard was met with a look of derision.

'Care to disarm your death ray so I can get into the apartment?' Leonard said when nothing changed after a moment.

'Not particularly and,' flicking the switch to disarm it Sheldon sighed, 'this is not a death ray.' He lifted it with both hands and put it under his arm to take it back inside. Leonard shrugged at Sheldons back as if it could have been anything.

'You realise it was pointed at Penny's room. You two fighting again?' Leonard deposited his keys in the bowl.

'No Leonard, we are not fighting. Penny is still sick, I went to see her.'

Leonard's face a little disbelieving.

'..and really it was two birds with one stone. I could check on Penny and allow my laser tracking system to test itself in my absence,' he poured hot chocolate into his favourite mug.

Leonard spotted Howard's prone body on the sofa, 'So it was successful...but whyy did it get Howard and not you?' Leonard hid his disappointment thinly.

'I had a tag on my belt,' Sheldon explained. Leonard didn't offer any expression close to comprehension.

'It deflects sensory locking. Howard however did not,' Sheldon smiled as he added hot water. 'Though I must say considering his general height and weight I should adjust the propelled strength for future tests.'

Leonard cringed and thought it best if the death ray mysteriously found its way out of the building by morning.

Howard would help once he was conscious again.

How could they have known how heavy the damn thing was going to be? Lugging it between them Leonard dropped it on Howard's foot. A hiss of pain shot out of Howard's mouth as he scrunched his face up.

'Are you working with the madman or against him?' Howard ground out clutching his just mangled foot.

'Just help me move this before he wakes up,' Leonard's voice was clipped, and as much as he wanted Sheldon to stay asleep he kept glancing at Penny's door as they made it out of the apartment.

'Good point,' Howard gripped it with all his tiny man strength.

Once Bernadette showed up and took Howard and the death ray to dispose of it, Leonard snuck back into the apartment and went to bed, not much sleep came.

Sheldon shot up in bed, 'Danger, danger.'

He opened his eyes groggily and surveyed his dark room. Nothing was out of place, no noises carrying from unusual locations. Penny wasn't in Leonard's room. He could be glad that was all over and done with. Shrugging he settled back into the covers and closed his eyes.

The problem was, when he closed his eyes, he saw Penny. The disruption sequence moment, they had experienced the prior evening. Sheldon considered her reaction, though of course there had been none, at least not in his presence. Would she speak to him now? Sheldon knew friends didn't kiss each other. Leonard and Penny had never been good friends and they kissed consistently.

He wrinkled his nose at this thought, rolled over and huffed at the bedding. Ridiculous emotions, his pillow agreed.

Click the front door opened. Had Leonard been out somewhere? Feet padded across the floor and there was a knock on his door. Shifting his feet out and into his slippers Sheldon peeked out from his bedroom door.

'Penny?'

She pushed against his pyjama clad chest and entered his room.

'Your not meant to be in here Penny, no ones…' Sheldon was cut off by Penny's squint at his volume. Realising he was going to have to make an exception, Sheldon went back to his bed and sat on the edge indicating that Penny could do so also. Did this mean they were friends again?

Beaming a thank you, she perched on his bed and looked around at all the memorabilia. The glow of his bed side fish danced off the countless posters and film t-shirts. It was cosy and she could see why he had wanted to keep this to himself.

He watched her eyes trip around his room from thing to thing. Sheldon supposed that someone so appreciative of his small space might not be such an intrusion. The light paused to refract off her eyes, blending with her hair. Beauty was not Sheldon's main area of interest, or even close. And yet he found himself studying it at this moment.

'Sweetie, I have bad news,' she said putting her hand back where it had been when she'd thanked him before.

'Oh?' Sheldon said wondering what bad news routinely followed arm touching.

'Your laser thingy, it's gone…' Penny said.

Sheldon whipped his head round, 'Gone?'

Penny nodded and pursed her lips. 'The guys took it for a walk and, then came back without it. The noise woke me up and I saw them taking it down the stairs. I would have given hot pursuit but I still don't feel too great.'

'I wouldn't expect you to give chase. Though they're slow, they are weasel like. I will deal with this,' he sighed. He seemed disappointed, but it passed. He was conscious of her increased need for rest.

'It's time for sleep, good night Penny.' He'd spent several hours constructing the new laser tracking system, and they'd stolen it. How people expected to be kept safe if they disposed of important security systems he did not know. He was furious to be sure but didn't think it was relevant to Penny's current presence for her to know.

He stood to show her out. Sheldon was tired from the contemplation he'd given the situation.

'Sheldon, aren't you forgetting something?' Penny said taking hold of that goofy pyjama top. Hardly more daring than she usually was with him, but this time she wasn't trying to piss him off.

Sheldon noted pyjamas, slippers, an unfamiliar hand scrunching his night wear. 'Your hand on my top?'

'A kiss, Sheldon,' Penny smirked. 'You set a precedent.' Penny felt brave doing this, she'd always just felt typical with other guys. But with Sheldon it was something very much over the boundaries.

Sheldon tried to step back and the hand slipped away. Her face faltered slightly and she straightened. 'Sorry, I didn't mean to overstep.' Penny's thoughts jumped back to his mouth finding hers for a moment. That place where things had tipped.

He stepped back into her personal space and leaned down. He angled himself towards Penny and stopped. Heat rushed into her face.

'Yes, I did set a precedent.' He made the decision. Hand placed on her back, he kissed Penny and felt her kiss him back. An exquisite moment, the counterbalance wobbled back and forth tumultuously in Sheldon's chest until he felt rather breathless. She smelled sweet like all the bizarre bath products she used but she also smelled of just Penny. The presence that had placed itself beside his spot and in his life.

They broke apart and Sheldon's hand fell to Penny's waist. He rubbed his lips together unused to how out of breath he was. The material of her top distracted him, so soft, he contemplated.

'Sheldon?' Leonard's voice came from out in the hall.  
Penny's eyes were wide like saucers and she tried not to laugh.  
'Blast,' Sheldon muttered.

Leonard glanced at his roommates door. No response. This could be good news or very, very bad news. Knowing his own chances, probably the latter.

Sheldon had tried to blow Leonard's head up through the door but Penny had distracted him. He sat dispondently on the sofa wondering what was bothering him. Penny had left, much to Leonard's confusion and nothing more had been said. Leonard paced back and forth drinking soya milk from the carton and sputtering as he tried to convince himself to just go to bed and stop freaking out.

Sheldon ignored the messy noise and lay his head back. It had been a welcome intrusion, fascinating. She was an almost centre to his life outside of Caltech, she irked him almost hourly.

Penny gave up trying to sleep and got out of bed. Padding into the other room she started picking things up off the floor and folding them. Realising what she was doing she yelped and the clothes flew everywhere. She'd kissed him once and already started tidying!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews make more chapters and fend off the migraines.

**Author's Note:**

> Review and cure my migraine.


End file.
